Uconn

Connecticut's DeAndre Daniels, right, is fouled by Arkansas' Devonta Abron, left, as he drives to the basket in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Hartford, Conn., Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

The man who might be the most important player for the UConn men's basketball team this year is a guy who wasn't completely emotionally present last year.

DeAndre Daniels can't be faulted for not being totally focused on basketball during his freshman year. His sister dealt with a health scare much of the year, a brain tumor that eventually turned out to be benign. Much of Daniels' energy was put toward dealing with the frightening situation.

With that behind him now, the 6-foot-8 Daniels is ready to put his energy into basketball.

"That did take a lot out of me last year," Daniels said. "I'm so close to my sister and the whole thing was scary. I had trouble focusing on school and basketball. But she's fine now and I'm totally focused on school and basketball. Whatever this team needs me to do, that's what I'm going to do.

"I'm ready for it and I'm looking forward to it."

He has to be ready. At times, his role will be foreign to him.

Daniels spent much of last year playing the small forward spot. Despite his height and length, Daniels is far more comfortable roaming the perimeter. More than half the 91 shots he put last season came from beyond the 3-point arc. That was his job. It was what was expected of him.

He'll still be asked to do that, but there will be plenty of time when Daniels will be asked to play the four spot, or power forward. Beyond Tyler Olander, who will likely be asked to see considerable time at center, the Huskies don't have anybody else who can play the four.

German freshman Leon Tolksdorf stands 6-8, but he is exclusively a perimeter player. The same is true of fellow German Niels Giffey, a 6-7 junior, though coach Kevin Ollie said Giffey will see some time at the four. Freshman Phillip Nolan is 6-9, but is also sleight of frame and inexperienced.

By default, Daniels is the next-best guy.

"We have to have him rebound and sprint," Ollie said of Daniels, "especially at the four. I know no four is going to be able to keep up with him. We're going to have to condition him to run all the time. He can get some crucial baskets with easy breakout layups."

Running is not the problem for Daniels. He has won the preseason Husky Run each of the last two years with times that are more symbolic of a long-distance runner than a basketball player. Running is a strength of his.

Rebounding is a different story. Daniels weighs just 195 pounds. He can easily be pushed around by stronger players on the interior. But he is apparently beginning to learn that rebounding is less about brute strength than it is about proper positioning and pure desire.

It comes as a surprise that

See UCONN, Page 6C

Ollie and guard Ryan Boatright, Daniels' roommate, both said Daniels has been the best rebounder early in the preseason. That bodes well for him considering he averaged just 2.1 rebounds last year.

"He rebounds a lot," Boatright said. "When you see him in practice, you see that. I don't know what got into him, but something made him go get rebounds. He gets a lot of them.

"He's very, very important to us. He's so versatile. He's tall, he's long, he can shoot it and his rebounding has improved. He's a scorer. He has the ability to be the best player on our team because he's so long and athletic."

That appears to be the consensus. While Boatright and Shabazz Napier will determine how far the Huskies go, and while it is hoped that freshman Omar Calhoun is as good offensively as advertised, it might be Daniels who provides the difference between the Huskies being so-so and unexpectedly good.

"I'm confident in what I can add to this team," Daniels said. "I feel like I can be an important piece. I don't have any distractions this year so I'm just focusing on getting better and doing whatever I need to do to make this team better. I feel like I can have a positive impact."

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